California is also preparing for a boom of children who will soon qualify for dental care in the Medicaid program. In the meantime, transitions in the Kansas' Medicaid program encounter problems.

Los Angeles Times: Health Care Providers Appeal To Block Medi-Cal Cut
California health care providers are appealing a December court decision that would allow the state to cut spending on medical care for poor residents. The case revolves around the state's 2011 attempt to reduce by 10 percent reimbursements to doctors, pharmacies and others who provide health care through the Medi-Cal program. The cut has been continuously blocked by judges worried about how it would affect access to medical care (Megerian, 1/28).

Kansas Health Institute: Lawmakers And Providers Assess KanCare Transition
There have been plenty of problems and frustrations. No one denies it. But as Gov. Sam Brownback's Medicaid makeover entered its fourth week, administration officials, some legislators and a variety of others involved with KanCare said they thought the massive changes underway in the $3.2 billion program so far have gone smoother than many expected (Shields, 1/28).

California Healthline: Half of California's Kids May Get Medi-Cal Dental Care
By this time next year, about half of California's children -- roughly five million -- will get dental care through Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program. Or maybe they won't. A new issue brief from The Children's Partnership suggests California's Medicaid system may not be up to the task. "California's Medi-Cal dental system is already struggling to serve children and is unprepared for what's to come," said Wendy Lazarus, founder and co-president of The Children's Partnership (Lauer, 1/28).

And Kansas gets a new Medicaid inspector --

Kansas Health Institute: After A Year's Vacancy, A New Medicaid Inspector General
After a year without one, Kansas once again has an official Medicaid inspector general. The Kansas Senate last week with no objections confirmed the appointment of Bill Gale (Cauthon, 1/28).

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